NEWPORT, R.I. — Maria Sharapova, the five-time Grand Slam champion in singles, has taken the lead in the fan voting for the International Tennis Hall of Fame in her first year on the ballot. This marks an important step toward potential induction into the Hall’s next class. The news was announced on Friday by the organization, which revealed the results of the voting.
American doubles pair Bob and Mike Bryan are currently in second place, while Canada’s Daniel Nestor follows in third. The Hall of Fame stated that tens of thousands of fans from 120 countries participated in the voting process. Fan voting is one of two stages in the Hall’s selection process. The second stage involves an official group of journalists, historians, and former Hall of Famers from the sport, who will vote on the candidates for the Hall’s class of 2025.
“I am incredibly grateful to the fans from around the world who have supported me during the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s fan voting,” Sharapova said in a statement. “It is a tremendous honor to be considered for the Hall of Fame, and having the support of my fans makes it even more special.”
Sharapova became the first Russian woman to reach the top spot in the world rankings. She won Wimbledon in 2004, the U.S. Open in 2006, and the Australian Open in 2008. In addition, she claimed the French Open title twice, in 2012 and 2014.
Sharapova was also part of the Russian team that won the Fed Cup in 2008 and earned a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, candidates must receive 75% or higher of the total votes from the official voting group, as well as an additional percentage point from fan voting. Sharapova garners three extra percentage points for winning the fan vote.
The Bryan brothers, who have won 16 Grand Slam titles in doubles, receive two extra percentage points, while Nestor, who has won eight Grand Slam doubles titles, receives one additional percentage point. The next class of inductees will be announced at the end of next month.